Thanks
god to... what you call a dejavu... in all it's colours and shades
and memories. Because such a thing we get to enjoy tonight at the
Tonhalle here in Munich - with Mr.Big.... It is, like it's just
been yesterday and I remeber so well the enourmas success of
Paul Gilbert (Git), Billy Sheehan (Bass), Eric Martin (Voc) and
Patrick Torpey (Drums) who landed in dozens of chartlist around
the globe on no. 1 with their smashhit 'To Be With You'- That was
in 1991/92, which has been also the only time I've seen them live
on stage before. And not much has changed since then. Well mind me,
These guys somehow have bought the everlasting youth. The hair is
a bit shorter, and they might be a bit more laid back. But apart
from that, it really seems, as the chapter is continuing right
there, where it stopped once - from the visual aspect as well as
from the acoustic point of view.
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A
little while ago, none of these musicians, hadn't even thought in
his dreams about a reunion of Mr.Big. And within the interview
this afternoon, Billy Sheehan insured me, that the whole thing
didn't happen because of financial reasons. No, he said, we all
just felt, that it's time to gonna happen, and the new lust and
pleasure to play together lived up again. -
However it doesn't really matter, does it?! the point is, the four
guys are standing up there on this stage and try to make us happy
with their hits including some brilliant solos and
some jammed classic tunes.
Support is coming from a young german guitarist named Erich
Schachner. But I have to confess, I missed out on that one because
of time reasons. Although I do suggest this man to you, as he is a
great musician with some interesting music. Here
you find at least a little teaser.
And then it's Mr.Big time and the expectation of the 1.300 fans of
the band and good melodic rock are pretty high drawn. - very high
indeed. You've gotta know, that this band is only appearing at 2
german concets - in Cologne and now here in Munich.
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Off we
go... and the foursome start of with an energetic ‚Daddy,Brother,Lover,Little
Boy’. You can feel, that these not too young boys anymore - have
found back to the fun to play together.
The setlist is a greatest hits mixture, spiced with some
extraordinary solos of bass, guitar and drums - like I mentioned
above... And they pay tribute to Argent with 'Hold Your Head Up'
and in the very end with The Who and 'Baba O'Reily'
The
normal setlist for everybody clued to the stage floor
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That's
the one for Eric Martin, - yeah well,
no eyeglasses on stage..... so that's the way how to do
it...
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And
though singer Eric Martin not always goes conform with the melody,
it doesn't matter as well. Also some people don't like these solos
so much, exspecially Mr.Sheehans 8 minute extravaganza (which I
think has been the best part of the whole gig) That's why the
average mood in the audiance ain't too enthusiastic. On the other
hand it is actually known, that the Munich audiance is a rather
odd one anyway. Only when songs like ‚Just Take My Heart’, ‚Addicted To That Rush’
or ‚To Be With You’ come along, the enthusiasm comes out.
So well, what else should I comment on that... I must admit,
personally I prefer Paul Gilbert solo, or Billy Sheehan with the
Devil's Gunslingers, because the musical demand is much higher and
very different to this stuff here.
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Let's
name it that way: apart from these just mentioned brilliant solos
of both Sheehan and Gilbert, - these Mr.Big show is nice and
entertaining, but that's it.... no more, no less.
No, I didn't regret to have come here to see this solid show, and
it has been also nice to see everybody again, shake hands
and have a small talk. But.... to get it straight: the new Mr.Big
show has not pulled me out of my shoes, if you know what I mean.
But thanks god, it's not only my personal opinion, what counts,
but more the fact, that most of the crowd did like what the got,
thanks to the high entertainment level, though they didn't show
their appreciation much. And that is, what counts most... Amen....
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